Ringwood, NJ real estate: the numbers, explained.

Home values in Ringwood

Zillow Home Value Index (all homes, middle tier, smoothed, seasonally adjusted) for the Zillow region “Ringwood”, September 30 of each year. Source: Zillow Research.

Zillow’s Home Value Index for Ringwood was $608,323 as of September 30, 2026, up 6.5% from a year earlier and up 37.3% over five years. Over ten years the index rose 87.7%. ZHVI models a typical home value. It isn’t the price of any specific house.

The NJ Division of Taxation’s 2026 Average Residential Statistics show an average residential sale price of $624,036 across 108 sales used in that report. Averages can be pulled up or down by a few sales, which is one reason it can differ from Zillow’s index.

The Census Bureau’s survey puts the median value of owner-occupied homes, as estimated by owners, at $449,800 (2020–2024 average), compared with a Passaic County town median of $446,100.

Ringwood property taxes

Ringwood’s 2025 general tax rate was 4.259 per $100 of assessed value, and its effective tax rate was 2.627%, higher than the Passaic County town median of 2.369% and higher than the statewide municipal median of 2.141%. That ranks it #12 lowest of 16 Passaic County municipalities by effective rate. The average residential tax bill was $12,912 on an average assessment of $303,162 across 4,295 residential properties.

Applied to the typical home value of $608,323, the effective rate implies roughly $15,981 a year ($1,332 a month) in property tax. The Division publishes the effective rate for comparing towns, not for computing a specific bill, so use it as a ballpark.

What it costs to own vs. rent

For a $608,323 home with 20% down ($121,665) and a 30-year fixed loan at 7.18%, Freddie Mac’s national average for the week of November 5, 2026, principal and interest come to about $3,297 a month. With estimated property tax that’s about $4,629, before insurance, any HOA fee and utilities. For comparison, the Census median gross rent in Ringwood is $1,750.

Run my numbers for RingwoodRent vs buy here

Who lives in Ringwood

About 11,657 people live in Ringwood. 96.2% of occupied homes are owner-occupied (county town median 71.2%), so the market is mostly owner-occupied single homes. 96.5% of housing units are single-family detached houses. The median resident age is 42.6, and 52.5% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. Median household income is $152,414, higher than the county town median of $113,369.

The median home in Ringwood was built in 1964. Much of the housing predates 1978, so buyers should plan for older-home checks: lead-based paint disclosure, an oil-tank sweep if the house ever had oil heat, knob-and-tube or older electrical, galvanized plumbing, and a sewer-line scope. See the NJ inspection checklist.

Commuting from Ringwood

Workers in Ringwood average 32.1 minutes each way (those who don’t work from home), longer than the Passaic County town median of 27.0 minutes. 1.6% commute by public transportation, so most commuters drive and 14.9% work from home.

Schools

I don’t republish unofficial school scores. For Ringwood, start with the New Jersey Department of Education’s School Performance Reports, then confirm the exact school assignment for any address with the district, since some NJ towns send students to regional or neighboring high schools. See how to research NJ schools.

Downtown, food and things to do

The best way to judge Ringwood’s restaurants, parks and weekend life is in person. Visit on a weeknight and a Saturday morning, check the town recreation calendar and walk the blocks you’d live on. My town scouting checklist shows what to look for.

My take for buyers, sellers and renters

• Buyers: taxes run above the county median, so budget on the tax bill, not just the price. Ask for the current bill on every listing.
• Sellers: values are up 37.3% in five years, so many owners have significant equity. See your number in the seller net sheet.

Nearby towns at a similar price